cyber-activists react to increase in arrests from search for Alister Cloud. #Anonymous

Despite a recent major initiative to capture Alister Cloud, the UK's most wanted cyber-militant remains free.

Alister Cloud was not amongst to 20 arrests across the UK, USA and Netherlands of people suspected of cyber attacks. 14 of the arrested are suspected of being members of Anonymous.

Police anb MI5 have called in the help of ISOC, the EU run top level  Information Security Operations Centre to join a task force code named 'Operation Cloud'.

After draft copies of the 'Operation Cloud' briefing document handed out to all agents involved in the search for Alister Cloud were leaked, all electronic communications from and between members of the task force have been stopped.

Those chapters referring to the 'Dark Web' are particularly interesting. This is the name given to the forums and discussion groups where 'hacktivists' and cyber-militants communicate and share news, information and resources. According to 'Operation Cloud'  Alister Cloud has no association with any known group and yet he is capable of the  most sophisticated illegal access to servers and websites considered impenetrable by any known hacking tools.

The 'Dark Cloud' is buzzing with Bloggers and forum members in dispute about how Alister Cloud should be handled. Indications are the arguments about how to deal with the intensified search for Alister Cloud, seems to fall into three camps. These can basically be divided by well organised activists, small cyber-militant cells and individuals.

Those groups who wish to recruit him into a more organised attack on corporate and political targets

Those groups who are feeling increased pressure and arrests of members wanting him to be apprehended by police to take the heat of them.

Those people who fully support Alister and hope he continues to give 'Operation Cloud' the run around.